


The Cowboy's Deputy

by orphan_account



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Fluff, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-14 14:19:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7175414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You've been accepted into the Overwatch training program. It starts TOMORROW. Off to Overwatch HQ where you'll be assigned a mentor based on your skills.<br/>This is amazing, except that your mentor seems to hate you. Not a word comes out of their mouth that is neither condescending, or insulting.</p><p>Despite the grumpy face he dons around you, McCree can't let you be reassigned. He's grown... Attached.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Acceptance Letter

It wasn't hard to get in, you were quite skilled with a pistol, after all. Someone could say it was your dream job, becoming a 'superhero'. You'd looked up to the Overwatch agents ever since you'd heard of them. When you received the letter accepting you into the Overwatch training program, you couldn't have been happier! After a silent cheer, you noticed the print at the bottom.

'Please report to your initiation grounds to be escorted to HQ. There a mentor will be assigned to you, and your eight (8) week training program will commence.'

They wanted you to go now?

The next ten minutes were spent frantically stuffing things into your suitcase, trying to get all the important things you had in there as quickly as possible. Photographs, clothes, electronics.

As the taxi pulled up to where you had done your initiation, you stared out the window at the hovercraft grounded in the middle of the large field. Paying the driver, you climbed out, lugging the large suitcase along with you. Your jaw dropped. Standing out in front of the aircraft were none other than Tracer and Winston. Two, very real, Overwatch heroes. Incredible!

"H-hello!" You call out, close to tripping up your own words. The English woman blinked over, the machine strapped over her chest glowing blue and humming softly.

"'Ello, love. So you're the new recruit, then?" She chirped, walking along beside you. You gave a quick nod in reply, grinning from ear to ear. The scientist was holding a clipboard in one large paw, eyes flicking form line to line on it, presumably looking for your name.

"f/n l/n, correct?" He rumbled, glancing up at you. You reply with another nod. Winston smiles, sharp teeth visible protruding from underneath his lips.

"Oh, your name is lovely!" The ex-pilot piped up, blinking over to the open door to the passenger carrier, "Let's get a move on, I can't wait for you to meet the rest of the gang." She was gone again in a flash of blue, probably teleporting to another area of the plane. With a nod of agreement, Winston gestured for you to follow as he turned and lumbered off into the carrier.


	2. The Cowboy

The trip didn't take awfully long, only a few minutes and the aircraft was landing. Unfortunately, due to the lack of windows, you didn't get to see what the outside of the place looked like.  
When the doors finally lowered and you were allowed out, you found that you were in some kind of hangar. There were similar planes and other vehicles parked neatly in rows.  
"Wow..." You breathe, impressed at the sight.  
"This is just the hangar, wait til' you see inside," Tracer appeared next to you, followed by Winston as he climbed onto the floor.  
"I believe I have a good idea of who your mentor will be. Mentors are chosen by matching a trainee's skill set to theirs as close as possible, and with your specific skill set I would probably say a certain Jesse McCree will be watching over your training for the next eight weeks. You know of him, correct?" The scientist explained. As you took it all in, you recalled all the things you had learned about Overwatch, including the ex-criminal gunslinger.   
"He can help you improve on the skills you already have, maybe even teach you a couple new tricks. How cool would that be?" Tracer chirped up.  
"That sounds awesome! When do I meet him?" You ask, quite content. McCree seemed like an excellent candidate.  
"Right now, he should be just in here," Winston answered, pushing open a large, metal door. Beyond the door was a hexagonal room. Two sides had doors, three were, from roof to floor, screens. There was one empty wall between the two doors. Next to the second door, a tall man was leaning up against the wall. He wore spurs, a red scarf-looking item (which you recognised as a serape), and a wide brimmed hat. You also noticed a cloud of smoke that hung around their head for a while before dissipating into the air.  
"Jesse, how many times have I told you not to smoke in here?" Winston scolded. In answer, McCree raised and eyebrow and snuffed out his cigar with the thumb and forefinger of his bionic arm.  
"This the rookie?" He asked, voice deep and heavily accented.  
"Sure is, they're pretty cool," Tracer blinked over, stretching up to rest her forearm on his shoulder,"I reckon you two'll get along well." The action proved a little difficult, seeing as there was at least five inches between their heads.  
"Pff- right. Remind me why I gotta do this again?" McCree shot a glance at you before focusing on the scientist. Winston let out a huff, pushing his glasses further up on to his face.  
"Well, Jesse, you know how mentors are selected. f/n has shown promise in several fields that you have experience in," He explained, "You were most suited for the role, they're your trainee whether you like it or not." Tracer nodded in agreement, looking up at the cowboy with a slight pout on her lips, as if she were trying to persuade him with puppy dog eyes. The sad look was soon replaced by a grin, however, as she blinked back over to Winston.  
"Should we leave them to get to know each other?" She asked, getting a nod in reply, "Well, see ya' later, loves! Nice to meet you again, f/n." With that, the two turned and left through the same door you had entered through earlier. McCree rolled his eyes, pulling out a lighter and relighting his cigar. Jamming it between his lips, he bit down and took a long drag as he opened the door beside him and stepped through. After a moment of hesitation on your part, he rolled his eyes again.  
"You comin' or what, kid?" He called, moving his mouth around the cigar. With a quick nod, you trot over and follow him through, the door slamming behind you.


	3. Training

It had been five days since your training had started. Soon after you arrived, McCree had taken you to get fitted out for the trainees uniform and receive your standard-issue weapons; A semi-automatic pistol and a combat knife. You hadn't seen neither hide nor hair of your supposed mentor since then, although it wasn't like you needed him to help you shoot at targets. The shooting range was indoors, the targets? Dummy robots. Simple enough to hit, seeing their bulking frames, although you could choose smaller targets at the back of the range that stood still. All five days had been shooting practice, with breaks in between. The schedule you received with your uniform and weapons listed what you would be doing for the entire eight weeks; the first week being mainly shooting.  
You found that blisters had begun to form on your hands before steadily going hard, turning into calluses. Not surprising, seeing how much you were using the rough-gripped handgun. Just as you emptied yet another magazine, you noticed the entrance to the range was opening. Turning to see who was coming in, you saw McCree. Well it was about time he showed up...  
The man casually walked in, boots clicking on the hard floor. He made his way to the wall opposite the firing range, leaned against it, and pulled out a cigar. He lit it, taking a drag before looking up at you.  
"Well go on," He said, gesturing to the targets with one hand. You shifted your weight, dropping the empty mag from the gun and sliding in a new one with a well practised action. With a little hesitation, you raise the gun, aiming at the moving targets.  
One bullet.  
Two bullets.  
Three, four, five.  
You pause, conscious of the figure watching you. It was a little odd, having him there. Was he judging you? No, he was probably just gauging what level you were at skills wise.  
Six, seven, eight, all the way to twelve.  
Each projectile hit a target. You smiled, impressed with yourself. Looking over your shoulder, you see the cowboy flick a bit of ash onto the floor. He didn't actually seem to be paying any real attention. You drop the clip out, sliding another, full on in.  
"Aren't you supposed to be mentoring me in some way?"  
He regards you by looking up from the ground, sticking the cigar back into his mouth, and walking over to you. Soon he was right behind you. Placing a hand on your shoulder, he brought his foot around to shift your own.  
"Spread your feet more, better balance," Was all he said, stepping back a few metres to watch.  
You emptied the magazine again, finding that the recoil didn't impact your stance quite as much.

The rest of the day went by without another word exchanged between you two, McCree leaving about fifteen minutes before you as you packed up all the target ammunition left over from the shoot. Slinging the satchel bag you had been using to store the items in over you shoulder, you left the firing range and headed for the cafeteria.  
"Afternoon, love!" Came Tracer's cheery voice. She had popped up just next to you, although by now you were used to her suddenly appearing without warning, "Where are ya off to?"  
"Just to the lunch room, spending four hours shooting is hungry work," You reply, pointing down the hall in the direction you were walking.  
"Oh, I'll join you then," She decided, padding along next to you. Her face changed, "Say, did Jesse come see you while you were shooting?" She asked. She seemed almost worried. You gave her a nod.  
"Yeah, about an hour and seventeen mags into the shoot he came in and watched. Didn't say much though," You answered, "He seemed a little on the grumpy side, maybe he was tired." Tracer let out a quick laugh.  
"Oh, sweetie he's always like that! Guess it can't really be helped, though," The Brit trailed off, "Just don't let it get to ya, I know he means well, he just doesn't know how to show it. See you around then, love."  
Now you were alone, the woman having disappeared in a flash of blue. You selected a meal, sitting down by yourself to eat.


	4. Practical Assessment

Back to the wall, you slowly inch your way towards the open doorway to your left. Two bots down already, one more to go. The last was a sniper, simple enough to take down from behind, and you were quite certain the final robot stood on the ledge beyond this doorway. Raising the gun to your chest, you spun around through the door frame. Spotting the sniper, you fired off three shots; straight into it's back. The bot fell with a clank, the splotches of paint from the specially made pellets covering the metal plating over it's back. You let out a breath that you really shouldn't have been holding.  
Making your way to the edge of the training arena, you pass the two other robots you had painted earlier. While not omnics, the things had an advanced VI that allowed them to act almost human. The difference was that they had no emotion whatsoever, and when hit with enough force they shut down until booted up again. There was a small skip in your step as you exited the arena, impressed with how well you had handled your first practical against a team of VI by yourself. McCree was standing beyond the automatic doors that opened up to the base, a cigar in his mouth as per usual. The man regarded you with a nod, turning and beginning to walk away. You knew he had watched you, there was a screen covering most of the right wall that showed footage of the trainee while they were in the arena. Following behind the cowboy, you couldn't help but wonder why he had been assigned to be your mentor. Sure, your skills matched fairly well to his and all, but the man didn't seem very good at, well, mentoring. You decided to start a conversation.  
"So, thoughts on the match?" The words came out a little harsher than they should have, as if you were scolding him for not complimenting, or even just commenting, on your skills. He slowed his pace, looking thoughtful. You were next to him now, having caught up.  
"It was alright."  
Alright? What was that supposed to mean? Was he really that indifferent towards you?  
"Anything in particular you may have noticed?" You tried for a different answer.  
"You sure do ask a lot of questions, kid," He flicked a bit of ash to the side.  
"Well you are my mentor, shouldn't you be more open to questions from your own apprentice?" Your voice held more hostility than intended, raising slightly near the end.  
"Tch, I didn't ask to be your mentor. Damned trainees, always getting underfoot," The man almost mumbled the last part, but you heard it well and clear. You could feel your face getting hot. How dare he!  
"Y've got a free day tomorrow, no training," He said, walking off. You were left by yourself as he exited the room. Pulling the folded paper out of your pocket with more force than needed, you unfolded it and checked your schedule. He was right... Damnit.


	5. Commander Morrison

The next day you woke up early, as per usual. Getting up at the crack of dawn each day that week had caused your body clock to get used to it, so you automatically woke up close to the time anyway. You wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, you'd learned from past experiences of trying to sleep in when you were excited. Today would be the first day you could properly explore, perhaps meet other members of Overwatch. Your teammates. Every time you thought of them that way you couldn't help but smile.  
Throwing the blankets off of your body, you climbed out of bed and got changed. Casual clothes today, more comfortable that way. Exiting your dorm room, you found the hallway empty. Odd, you had expected at least someone to be up and about by now. Perhaps they just weren't around here? You decided to go exploring.  
The first place you checked out was the cafeteria. If anyone else was up this early, they'd probably want to eat something, too. No one. You selected a meal, receiving it moments later through an automated chute. Eating as you walked, you passed a large window, covering the wall to your left from roof to floor. Through the thick glass you saw exercise equipment, a few of each machine all set up in the large room. Near the edge of the area you could see a man beating the crap out of a punching bag. He wore a singlet and shorts, toned muscles visible although his white hair gave away his age. Finishing off the plate-less meal, you dusted your hands off and found the door to enter the exercise room. The man payed little attention to you, continuing to hit the swinging, sawdust-filled sack. You cleared your throat, the only sound other than the thud of each hit. The white-haired fellow slowed, grabbing hold of the punching bag to settle it's swinging.  
"Good morning," You greeted as he turned to face you. A scar stretched from his forehead well past his nose.  
"You the new recruit I've been hearing about?" Came his reply. You nod, hiding your excitement at finally meeting him, "l/n, right?" You nod again.  
"That would be me, sir."  
"Don't call me sir, Jack is just fine," The soldier told you, a small smile on his face as he stuck a hand out for you to shake. Accepting the gesture, you felt how firm his grip was. You flexed your hand once he let go, making him give a small laugh.  
"Not used to good handshakes?" Jack chuckled, turning back to the now still punching bag, "So I hear McCree's your mentor." You let out a sigh. Yeah, 'mentor'.  
"That he is," You bit your tongue before you could add 'at least he's meant to be'. Complaining to the hero Soldier:76 didn't seem like the best first impression.  
"You sound disappointed. Not all you thought he was, eh?" He resumed beating the sack.  
"I guess," Well he had asked, no point in lying. His steady breathing hitched, as if he were laughing.  
"The man wasn't too keen on the idea. Don't take it to heart though."  
Almost the same advice you'd gotten from Tracer yesterday.  
"Don't let me bore you, if you aren't about to get on one of those exercise bikes you can go," Jack said. It was like he was dismissing you. Deciding to leave, you went back out the door and watched him as you walked past the window.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, no new people. It was getting late, and you decided to retire to your dorm room. Shutting the door and dropping down onto the bed, you thought about your first week. It had been alright, although next week looked like it would be better. You pulled out the schedule again. Each week would be more intense than the last. Then, your first real mission. At least, that's what Tracer had said.


	6. Calm Before the Storm

The seven weeks that followed were intense; six days were dedicated to training each week, leaving you one day to rest up at the end. McCree had become somewhat less objectable to having an apprentice, but it was still clear he wasn't too pleased about it.  
"Looks like y've got the hang of it, kid," The ghost of a smile pulled at his mouth. You caught sight of it before he wiped it off, frowning as per usual and biting down on his cigar. Dropping the clip from the pistol, you walked over to where your bag was, carefully placing the weapon inside along with the extra ammo you hadn't used.  
"You ready for your first mission?" The cowboy asked, pulling a thin stack of papers from under... Somewhere.  
"My what now? Mission?"  
"Didn't expect to do the trainin' then that's it, did ya?" He flipped through the pages, pulling one out and handing it to you. At the top was the Overwatch symbol. Skimming through, you saw that you did indeed have a mission. Turns out Tracer was right. Halfway down the page was a list of all the important information; the location, the assigned members, all that stuff.  
"Canada? What's going on up there?" You asked, curious. The big country didn't seem like the kind of place that would have bad trouble, then again, maybe that's why you had been assigned.  
"Accordin' to the papers some Talon members have been traced there. No time to waste, we leave tomorrow," Was his answer. He left the range, leaving you alone again. You decided that you would pack a few warm coats... Canada was a cold place.

The cowboy walked down the hall, his boots clicking on the hard floor, just like always. He cursed himself under his breath. Not another one... He couldn't afford to keep getting attached. They always got reassigned, they always... He shook his head. No, he couldn't let you be reassigned, there was something different about you. He couldn't quite put his finger on what, but there was something there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the very short chapter today, i thought it would be better to split the two parts. Might upload part two later tonight if I finish typing it up in time.


	7. First Mission

You were briefed during the flight, which was, as normal, over quickly. Your task was to eliminate the Talon operatives that had been found in the area; you were accompanying your mentor, McCree, to the temporary base to meet up with two other Overwatch heroes, Zarya and Mei. Excited was probably the best word to use to describe how you felt. The fact that this would be your first mission and that you were going to meet new members boosted your mood. McCree had disappeared into the cockpit early on, you had stayed seated for the entire flight. Besides the man giving you your briefing, you had been by yourself. The now-familiar feeling of the aircraft descending caused your stomach to flip slightly, it was an odd sensation, going straight down. Taking off the safety straps, you stood and stretched your legs before heading for the door. Pressing the button to open it, you felt a wall of cold air hit you. Reflexively, you raised your arms up to cover your upper body, as if it made you warmer somehow. Something warm was placed over your shoulders, making you move your hands to grab a hold of it before it dropped. Looking down, you saw the red fabric. McCree's serape. You tugged it further up over your shoulders, trying to keep out as much cold as possible.  
"Th-thanks..." You stammered out, taken aback by the gesture. He gave you a nod before heading towards the small log house that served as the base.  
Inside two women sat on a couch in front of a fire. When the door was opened, both turned to look at you and McCree. One was large and muscular, with short pink hair and a scar over her right eye. The other was a shorter, chubbier looking brunette with glasses. You recognised them as Zarya and Mei.  
"Good morning, and welcome to base," Came Zarya's loud, accented voice. McCree replied with a hat tip, walking over to join them by the fire. He rubbed the exposed skin on his arms, shivering slightly. Why hadn't he just kept his serape? You could've made it to the house easily enough...

You were supplied with thermals to wear while out on the field, then sent off with the other three closer to where the Talon agents had been identified. It could, in the words of your mentor, get ugly. You checked that you had a full magazine loaded into your pistol and that the safety was on - Check and check. Zarya and Mei had split off from you two, it had been agreed that working in two groups the four of you would be able to cover more ground in less time. You had been reluctant to go with McCree, what with his unfriendliness and all, but bit your tongue. Again, you didn't want to come off as uptight or picky to the women. So they had headed off in search of the operatives, the same as you and the cowboy. The two of you were edging along a crumbling wall in the ruins of a town long abandoned. McCree was ahead of you, stepping out from behind the wall; you followed close behind. Almost as soon as you had come out from the cover, McCree spun around, wrapped his arms around you, then half-dragged half-pushed you back behind the wall. You weren't able to argue, for as soon as you were both behind cover again a large metal hook smashed through the edge of the crumbling brick, clanking on to the cold, hard floor. You stared at the hook for a few short moments before it was pulled back away.  
"W-what was that?" You had been startled by how quick it had changed from simple snooping around to having to dodge a weapon. Now you were closer to the end of the wall. Peeking around, you saw a very tall, very large man. Tattoos covered his torso, a leather mask his face. His attention went directly to you, his head jerking to the side almost unnaturally. He went to throw the hook again, but you drew your pistol and shot at the large body. Five of seven shots went into his stomach, the other two going straight into his chest and, hopefully, his heart. The giant of a man fell to the ground with a thump.  
"Didn't think you had it in ya," You heard McCree say. He got up off the ground, nudging you gently along, "Come on, we've taken out one of them, we better go find the girls."  
When you found them, Zarya and Mei looked... confused.  
"Little man just... Disappeared..." The taller one stared at the blood-stained ground below her. Mei's mouth was open, her eyes in a squint.  
"What happened?" You asked, speeding up to get over to them quicker. The two of them looked up at you.  
"We... Killed one of the Talon operatives... But his body just... Disappeared," Mei tried explaining, pausing between words due to her confusion.  
"Disappeared? Now how can a dead body just 'disappear'?" McCree asked, skeptical.  
"Body was right here, then poof, gone!" Zarya elaborated, or, at least, tried to.  
"Best not to dwell on that. We'll just have to report it when we get back," The cowboy said, turning on his heel and heading off in the general direction of the base, "I say we get back to where it's warm, kid. I ain't used to this damned cold." You gave a quick nod, following after him. Zarya gave a shrug, most likely brushing off the odd occurrence before gesturing for Mei to walk in front of her as they followed as well.

You said your goodbyes to the Overwatch agents before you left the house, your mentor having gone out the door about a minute before you. He would already be on the plane, probably in the cockpit or somewhere else you wouldn't see him for the whole flight. Stepping onto the aircraft you were abruptly stopped by a metal hand on your shoulder. The man used a similar technique as earlier, wrapping his arms around you and pulling, although this time the two of you didn't fall onto the ground. Was there an enemy about? A sniper perhaps?  
Before you could ask, your words were trapped by McCree's mouth on yours. You were shocked, what was happening? You tasted smoke, but it wasn't that bad. Almost as quickly as it began he let go, his face flushed. He turned on his heel and left the passenger area. You were left alone, flustered, unsure of what had just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can find me in the rubbish bin if you need me


	8. Reassignment

"You're being reassigned."  
The loud voice made you jump, turning around to see Winston. The ape held a clipboard, just as the first time you had seen him.  
"Sorry, I'm what now?"  
"You're being reassigned, f/n. Your mentor filed your progress in the training program. You passed, with flying colours might I add," He smiled at the end, probably expecting a positive reaction out of you. You simply stood there, halfway through a volley of punches on the wildly swinging bag that was now behind you.  
"I did?" There were several questions that you wanted to ask, but you decided to take it slow; Best not to overwhelm him.  
"Yes, you did. Just let me check here..." The scientist scanned the page attached to the clipboard, "Ah, here we go. You'll be taken to Canada. An old building has been turned into a base, a few more Overwatch operatives are needed to secure the area."  
"Hold on slow down... Why am I being reassigned?" You were thoroughly confused at this point. Winston cocked his head slightly.  
"Didn't McCree say anything to you? He handed me all the papers yesterday, and he quite clearly stated that it would be best if you were taken to either of those bases," He explained.  
"No, I heard nothing of the sort..." You replied, shaking your head. Hearing McCree's name made your head spin. You were brought back to last week, your first mission. You first... kiss. With your own mentor, no less, "Did he... Did he mention anything else?" Winston shook his head, lifting the clip and handing you the top sheet.  
"Here's all the information you'll need, I'd suggest you go pack your bags now. I know it's short notice, but you'll have to be flown out tomorrow."

Once you got back to your room, you fell backwards onto the bed and stared at the sheet in your hand. This was so... weird. You hadn't expected things to go this way; Not that you could complain, after all you had done well in your training.  
You made up your mind to go and find McCree before you had to go. Walking the halls, you kept your eyes peeled for the cowboy. It couldn't be too hard to find him, maybe he was in the gym or something.  
You heard him before you saw him. The clicking of his boots gave it away. Looking ahead, you saw him cross at a 'T' in the halls, right past you. Jogging to the end, you caught up with him.  
"McCree?"  
The man turned around, the cigar in his mouth almost falling out as a look of surprise washed over his face.  
"I..." He cleared his throat, "I thought you'd've been reassigned by now, kid." His voice remained steady, as always.  
"I was. I'm leaving tomorrow. Thought I might just come find you first, though..." You answered, receiving a raised eyebrow as another question.  
"What for?"  
You were starting to get angry. He kissed you! Why else would you be looking to him for answers? The anger quickly built up, washing away the thought of asking anything else.  
"What the hell do you mean, 'What for'?" Your voice was raised slightly, and it got louder as you went on, "You couldn't have just stayed a cold, unfeeling asshole, could you? You had to go and mess with me! I thought I'd enjoy being in Overwatch, but you fucked it up, McCree. You fucked it up." You hadn't noticed, but your eyes had started to get a little watery. Blinking back any tears that threatened to spring forwards, you glared at the man in front of you. He seemed reluctant to answer.  
"Well?!" You spat, "What do you have to say to that?" He looked down, face hard, showing little emotion.  
"M'sorry."  
The cowboy turned away, walking off down the hall.  
"Sorry? You're SORRY?!" He didn't react, just kept walking. You didn't bother holding back the hot tears that ran down your face, wetting your cheeks. Fine. If he wanted to be that way, let him be. You could go to Canada, where Zarya and Mei were. You didn't have any problems with them, at least they wouldn't try to mess around with your feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the late chapter, was a little busy yesterday and didn't get time to type it up and post it.


	9. Mission Statement 2

So McCree wanted to be that way, what did you care? It had been three weeks since you were reassigned, and the base was coming along nicely with help from new technology. Heating systems had been one of the first things installed, now changing wasn't quite such a daunting experience. You sat in the 'living room' of the base, the most homely area in the entire building. A soft couch took up the middle of the room in front of a television. Mei sat next to you, watching the moving images on the screen. It was some kind of speech on environmental issues... You weren't really paying attention, more focused on the paperwork you had been given regarding your next assignment. The Chinese girl would be coming along, as well as Zarya. There had been reports of some form of gang west of where the base was set up, your job was to go clear them out. According to the sheet, one or two other operatives would be flown out to help. This gang was probably pretty dangerous if it was going to take five members to take them out... All the same, it would be your second real mission.  
Heavy footfalls gave away that the other woman was coming down the hall towards the room. Her pink hair popped around the entrance first, followed by the rest of her body as she saw the both of you sat in there.  
"What are you two watching?" She stepped around the couch, sitting down in the middle between you and Mei.  
"It's a speech about global warming, by a very famous environmentalist," The brunette explained. She didn't bother saying anything else, neither of you knew a lot about her interests, so she had given up trying to get either of you excited about it.  
"We've got a new mission for tomorrow," You piped up, holding the papers out for Zarya to take a look at. She quickly skimmed the page, clicking her tongue.  
"This will be easy job, no doubt. It would be a waste of time to send other Overwatch members out here," She commented, passing them on to Mei. The Chinese girl nodded in agreement. Just what you'd thought. Maybe they'd come to the same conclusion you had.  
"Tomorrow? I should go check that my endothermic blaster, then. Make sure it's all in working order," With that, the woman hopped up and headed for the door, dropping the papers in your lap before she left.  
"I too should check weapons," Zarya added, getting up and heading off herself. You had already given your weapons their final checks, including the new one you'd been issued before you were flown out. They were stun grenades, essentially. Real original. You couldn't complain though, they were quite impressive. Winston had given a brief explanation of how they worked, but you didn't understand much of it. All you had needed to hear was 'throw it and it'll temporarily stun your opponent'.  
As you headed back to your quarters, you wondered who they might send. Maybe Jack, otherwise known as Soldier 76. He seemed like a good choice. Or even Tracer? Who knows, you'd find out soon enough. It was only a day away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> laptop had issues connecting to the internet yesterday, so i couldn't post this


	10. Hello Again

The next morning was an early start. Clipping the grenades to your belt and holstering your pistol, you headed for the kitchen for a quick breakfast. Choosing just a muesli bar, you unwrapped it and took a bite as you went off to find the aircraft pad outside. If someone was going to be flown in, they'd be there quite soon you guessed. It appeared that Zarya was already outside, probably with the same idea as you. She waved a greeting as you stepped out into the cold, although the thermals you were wearing kept you from feeling it too much. Smiling at her, you were about to say a 'Good morning' when the sound of an aircraft could be heard some way in the distance.  
Soon enough, an Overwatch aircraft was landed on the pad, the doors lowering to reveal who had been assigned to help you. A familiar face. Serape, hat, and all. It was McCree. You coughed, trying not to choke on your breakfast as you swallowed it awkwardly. The cowboy tipped his hat to Zarya, then you. You felt something bubbling up inside... Anger? Best not to think about it... You should probably just push it aside. He was just here to help with the mission.

After the briefing, the four of you had been sent out. McCree didn't give away any signs he was uncomfortable, but you were sure you were practically dripping with the feeling. The place seemed like a ghost town.  
"Is this the right pla-" McCree shushed you. You frowned at him, letting out a huff. He rolled his eyes, cocking his head slightly. Raising a hand, he pointed to one of the larger buildings; It appeared to be a plain old house, although the cowboy must've thought something was up. He gestured for the group to go over to it, taking the lead. You followed between Zarya and Mei, the larger woman in front of you. Poking his head around the corner, the cowboy motioned for two of you to head around the back. You went with Mei. So far nothing had been said, so you weren't completely sure what was going on yet. The Chinese woman stayed silent, sneaking around to the first window and standing up on her toes to see in. You peered through the dirty glass, too. There were a few men sat around a table inside. So McCree had been right...  
"Should we go back around to tell them about those guys?" Your breathed, not wanting the men to hear you. Mei gave a quick nod, following you back around. When you got back to the front of the house, however, you found that Zarya and McCree had gone. Had they snuck around the back of the house? You received a gentle nudge, bringing you out of your confusion and back to what was happening. Footsteps sounded inside, the door suddenly swinging open. You immediately grabbed for a stun grenade, throwing it hard at the ground in front of them. The man fell against the door, making it swing wide and bang against the wall. Scraping noises came from inside, presumably the chairs in which the other men had been sitting on. More footsteps confirmed your suspicions. Two more men came to the door, one had been yelling something in a foreign language. Mei sprung into action, holding down the trigger on her endothermic blaster, beginning to freeze them. Before they were completely immobilised, one pulled a gun, aiming and shooting.  
The trigger clicked.  
The hammer went down, BANG.  
The bullet flew.  
Something small hit you hard in the stomach.  
You fell.  
You tried to get up, but the pain was too much.  
You felt your abdomen starting to dampen.  
The dampness became a soaking wetness.  
Suddenly the world went black.


	11. You Hate Me, Don't You?

Your whole body jerked sharply as you opened your eyes, quickly settling into a squint until they adjusted to unexpected brightness of the room. The place was rather plain, a door on the wall opposite you, a chair and table to the right. A few pillows were just above your head. Pulling them down, you propped yourself up. As soon as you moved a sharp pain split through your middle. Groaning, you fell back into them. Once you had recomposed yourself, you craned your neck to look down at your body with as little pain as possible. You were in a soft robe. Pulling at the parting of the robe, you saw bandages covering your middle going from your waist to your pant line. A small red-brown patch came through from a spot just underneath your ribs. You'd been shot. Now you remembered. An IV tube ran down to your arm, taped in place. As you were examining it, the door to the room opened. You expected to see whoever your doctor had been, but were greeted with the face you least wanted to see.  
"Afternoon, kid," Cam the low voice, followed by a hat tip. He moved towards the table, grabbing the chair and pulling it up to your bed. You practically glared as he sat down, bringing one foot up on to his knee and resting his elbow on it, "Feelin' better yet?" You moved to get up, wanting to leave the room before you did something stupid, but were met with the same sharp pain from before. Falling again, you were grateful again for the mass of pillows keeping you from hitting something hard.  
"Don't push yerself, you were shot yesterday. Been asleep since," The cowboy told you.  
"What do you want?" Your voice was slightly hoarse, with more of an edge than you had intended to put in there. He raised an eyebrow.  
"Cam in to see how you were doin' now, didn't I?"  
"Why? What do you care?"  
The confident look fell from his face, replaced with an almost apologetic one. He began fiddling with his hands, picking at the thumbnail on his human one with the forefinger.  
"I care a lot. I, uh... I actually came in to say..." He looked ashamed. After a long hesitation, he finally came up with the words, "I came in to say m'sorry. A proper apology this time. What can I do to make it up to ya?" That had been unexpected. You thought for a moment.  
"Why'd you kiss me? Then just, up and leave like nothing happened?" Were the first two questions, "How could you act like nothing happened?" Was the next, your voice starting to get progressively louder and shakier. You felt the feeling of tears pricking at your eyes, but blinked hard a few times. You weren't going to cry, not here, not in front of him. McCree opened his mouth after he was sure you'd asked all your questions, at least for now.  
"It was wrong of me to act on the urge, I... I shouldn't've gotten attached so easily. It was stupid of me. This is my fault, and the fact that I went on pretendin' nothin' happened makes it worse," The man's voice grew quieter as he spoke, shakier, as well, "I'm... I'm sorry..." He whispered, rubbing at his eyes with his palms.  
"It's my fault all of this happened. I didn't want you reassigned, but I went and signed the papers... I told myself I wouldn't give in..." You filled in the gaps where he paused.  
"So you made the past four weeks this stressful for me just because you wanted a kiss?" There was venom that you didn't bother hiding in your voice. He sniffed loudly. The man wasn't crying, but he seemed on the verge of tears. You narrowed your eyes.  
"No, I didn't mean to-" You cut him off.  
"I don't care. You can take your excuses elsewhere, leave me alone."  
McCree looked at your face, his mouth parted slightly and a sad look behind his eyes. After a little hesitation, he gave a nod. Rising from the chair, he pulled it back to it's table, shuffling over to the door. He stood in the doorway for a moment, looking back at you. It was like he expected you to change your mind. You simply frowned deeper. He stepped through, shutting the door behind himself.

The cowboy stood outside, back to the door of the room his most recent trainee was now recovering in. He shut his eyes tight, not wanting his sadness to show in any way as he straightened his posture and strode away.  
He'd fucked up. Why couldn't he just admit he cared for them? It wasn't hard, but they just... Well, they made it difficult. Now they really hated him.  
"Well done..." He mumbled sarcastically to himself, pulling out his cigar case. With a long sigh, he lit one, sticking the thing between his lips and the case back into his pocket.


	12. Quite The Opposite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhhhhh  
> sorry it took so long for me to post this chapter  
> i've been putting it off because it's the last one, and as much as i don't want to end this fic, it simply has to be finished

You were in the medbay for another day to heal, after that you were let out. The doctor had ordered you be off any kind of duty for the next week so that the wound could completely heal though. Having barely slept, you'd thought a lot on where you stood with McCree. You'd made a decision, you just had to find him. Where could the man be?  
You checked the gym, it was empty. The cafeteria, a few men and women in lab coats, but no one else.  
You went from room to room, trying to find your old mentor. Eventually you found someone, though it wasn't the man you were looking for.  
"Oh it's wonderful to see you're better, f/n!" Came the English accent, the woman flashing to nothing before reappearing in front of you, "How was it? I hope you didn't get bored in there." You shook your head, smiling.  
"No not at all, I had a lot to think on. By the way, would you happen to have seen McCree around?"  
She donned a look of confusion.  
"Don't tell me he upset you somehow, I'll go set that man straight-" She frowned slightly. It was nice that she worried, but she really didn't have to.  
"N-no, I just want to talk to him is all."  
"Oh. Well in that case, come with me!"  
You followed as she walked down the hall, a slight skip in her step as always. After a few turns, you found she was leading you outside. Not surprising that the cowboy wanted some fresh air.  
"Fairly sure he's out there somewhere, can't be too far. If you can't find him just holler for me," Tracer told you before blinking away.  
You tried to thank her, but she was gone too quickly.

It was only a short trek to find where the man was leaning on the trunk of a tree, smoke billowing in front of his face as he tapped his cigar to remove the excess ash. Either he didn't hear you approach, or he didn't mind anyone intruding on the silence. You cleared your throat, getting his attention. The man turned slowly, a startled look visible for only a second before he settled back into his regular, unreadable expression.  
"What brought y'out here, kid?" He asked, raising an eyebrow before turning away again.  
"I was looking for you," Was your answer, as you stepped closer. You were close now, almost shoulder to shoulder. This made him turn just his head to you again.  
"Whatever for? Thought y-"  
He was cut off. Your hands found their way to the parts of his collar sticking out from the serape, tugging it and his face towards yours. Your lips met, just as gently as the first time. Once he was aware of what was happening, McCree allowed himself to relax; placing one hand at the top of your spine and the other at your lower back, he pulled your body closer to his.  
The embrace lasted until you had to pull away for breath.  
"I... I changed my mind." You said.  
"Don't worry about it, darlin'."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well that's that  
> if anyone wants to request something feel free, although i can't make promises about knowing who the characters are

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if this is a little awkward to start with, I only started writing this story in a notebook for a friend and wanted to upload it here.


End file.
